Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 20, 1991 TAG: 9103190192
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
\ Best Supporting Actress
Annette Bening got her role in "The Grifters" after director Stephen Frears saw clips of her work in Milos Forman's "Valmont" (Orion). Her sexually manipulative aristocrat is the most interesting character on screen.
Whoopi Goldberg may be the oddsmakers' favorite this year for "Ghost," but she's not bad in director Penny Marshall's "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (CBS/Fox), a screwy comic thriller.
Mary McConnell, from "Dances With Wolves," can also be seen in "Tiger Warsaw" (SVS) with Patrick Swayze and in John Sayles' underrated masterpiece, "Matewan" (Warner).
Lorraine Bracco, from "Goodfellas," had her screen debut in Ridley Scott's thriller, "Someone To Watch Over Me" (RCA/Columbia). Only moderately successful in its theatrical release, this film has developed a following on home video.
If you want to see where Diane Ladd did the research for her work in David Lynch's "Wild At Heart," take a look at one of the great motorcycle flicks of the 1960s. Yes, that's her in Roger Corman's "Wild Angels" (Orion).
\ Best Actress
Angelica Huston, who is just terrific in "The Grifters," could have been nominated last year for "The Witches" (Warner), or earlier for Francis Ford Coppola's "Gardens of Stone" (CBS/Fox).
Julia Roberts got her first nomination for "Pretty Woman," already available on tape from Touchstone, but her work in "Mystic Pizza" (Virgin) is just as good.
Meryl Streep, from "Postcards From the Edge," seems to be nominated every year and to win every other year. "Still of the Night" (CBS/Fox), a 1982 thriller, is far from her best work but fans should give it a look.
Joanne Woodward, nominated for "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge," has so many good movies that are available on home video that it's hard to choose. For sheer fun, you might try "The Long Hot Summer" (CBS/Fox) with Paul Newman and Orson Welles or "They Might Be Giants" (MCA) where she plays a unique Dr. Watson to George C. Scott's Sherlock Holmes.
(The fifth nominee, Kathy Bates, from "Misery," has no other film work on tape. Neither does Best Supporting Actor nominee Graham Greene.)
\ Best Supporting Actor
> Andy Garcia, from "The Godfather III," plays a deposed Latin American poet/president in "American Roulette" (Vidmark).
Al Pacino, under all that makeup in "Dick Tracy," may never equal his early work. Take another look at "Dog Day Afternoon" (Warner) and ". . . And Justice For All" (RCA/Columbia) to see just how powerful he can be.
For my money, Joe Pesci leads the field this year for his work as the spooky gangster in "Goodfellas," but his earlier collaboration with Martin Scorcese in "Raging Bull" (MGM/UA) was almost as good.
Bruce Davison, nominated for "Longtime Companion," can also be seen in "Steel and Lace" (Fries). This video original is an above-average version of a "Robocop" revenge story. He is remarkably effective as a scientist who "resurrects" his dead sister (Clare Wren) to punish her attackers. This is the kind of story that could easily have been a piece of cheap exploitation, but despite some graphic effects, there is intelligence and empathy behind the formulaic plot.
\ Best Actor
Kevin Costner, creator and star of "Dances With Wolves," can be found on several atrocious videos. Even his most loyal fans will be disappointed by "The Gunrunner" and "Sizzle Beach," early efforts that have been released to cash in on his popularity. Instead, take a look at "Fandango" (Warner), an engaging coming-of-age/road movie.
Robert DeNiro, from "Awakenings," is well represented on video. He first gained fame for offbeat characters with "Taxi Driver" (RCA/Columbia), but he is almost as sharp in Martin Scorcese's indescribable "The King of Comedy" (RCA/Columbia).
Gerard Depardieu, nominated for "Cyrano de Bergerac," first came to the attention of many viewers in this country with another fine French film, "The Return of Martin Guerre" (Embassy).
Richard Harris plays a grizzled farmer in "The Field." He predated Costner as a white guy among the Indians in "A Man Called Horse" (CBS/Fox), and had a much tougher time of it too, dangling as he did by his pectorals.
Chances are that Jeremy Irons won't win anything this year, though he was excellent as Claus Von Bulow in "Reversal of Fortune." Again though, his early work is excellent, and the top-drawer mini-series "Brideshead Revisited" (Virgin) is available on tape. 5 1 VIDEO Video
by CNB